Pole key anchor



June 2, 1953 J. K. HARPER 2,640,571

POLE KEY ANCHOR Filed April 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR. James K Harper aide/nay June 2, 1953 J. K. HARPER POLE m ANCHOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 11. 1951 INVENTOR. James 16. liar Den Patented June 2, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POLE KEY ANCHOR James K. Harper, Centralia, M0., assignor to A. B. Chance Company, Centralia, Mo., a corporation of Missouri 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to expanding pole key anchors, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved expanding pole key of the type covered by the prior patent to Edward M. Fee and Charles R. Murrie, No. 2,279,918, issued April 14, 1942.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved expanding pole key anchor which presents a greater resistance to the movement of the line pole than the devices of the prior art, while utilizing no more steel than such devices of the prior art.

Another object is the provision of an improved expanding pole key in which there are a minimum number of parts, and in which the area of the anchor is increased by utilizing two sets of blades, each set including a pair, and the two pairs acting upon each other to effect expansion.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved pole key anchor which is simple in construction, which provides a maximum expanded area and a minimum contracted overall width, and which may be manufactured at a low cost, while providing a greater resistance to movement of the line pole than the devices of the prior art.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the two sheets of drawings accompanying the specification,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an expanding pole key anchor embodying my invention, shown in the expanded position;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of the pole key anchor, showing its parts in the contracted position;

Fig. 5 is a side or edge elevational view of the pole key anchor of Fig. 4 in the contracted position;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view through the terrain, showing the line pole and pole key anchor in the course of its installation;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 1'I of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, I0 indicates in its entirety the pole key anchor embodying the invention, which is provided with four substantially identical blades,- which have been numbered ll, 12, I3, and I4 in the order in which they are assembled from front to back in Fig. 1.

These blades may be substantially identical in construction; and each blade may consist of an elongated, substantially rectangular body having the straight side edges I5, I 6, rounded end edge ll, and a semi-circular inner edge l8. Each of the blades is formed with a bearing bore 2!! on an axis which is the radiusof the circular end It; and the bearing bore is preferably provided with a tubular protuberance 2| used to space one blade from another.

The twoblades II and I4 are mounted for pivotal movement relative to each other upon a rivet 22. The two blades l2 and I3 are pivotally mounted relative to each other upon a rivet 23. In addition to supporting the blades for pivotal movement, these rivets also include an angular guide 24 and a U shaped guide 25.

The angular guide 24 has a flange 26 extending parallel to the blades and secured by the same rivet, which alsopasses through the yoke of the U-shaped guide member 25. The U-shaped guide member is substantially rectangular in shape, having a fiat yoke and a pair of right angle flanges 21, 28 parallel to each other and spaced sufliciently to slide on the guy rod 29.

The angular guide 24 has the flange 26 mounted on rivet 23 and another flange 30 at right angles to the flange 26, and provided with an aperture 3| for slidably receiving the guy rod 29.

At the lower end of the assembly the rivet 22 also supports an angle member 32 with a pivot flange 33, having an aperture receiving the rivet 22. The pivot flange 33 supports a tamping base 35, as seen in Fig. 3; and the flange 34 and base 35 have the aligned threaded aperture 36 into which the threaded end 31 of the guy rod 29 is threaded.

The rivet 22 also supports a U shaped guide 38, which has the same parallel flanges 21 and 28 for guiding movement on the guy rod 29. Besides being pivoted to each other on the rivets 22 and 23, the plates H--l4 are arranged in pairs and are pivoted together as follows. Plates l2 and I4 are pivoted together on the rivet 39. Plates II and I3 are pivoted together by the rivet 40.

In the present invention the spreader struts used in the devices of the prior art have been eliminated and another pair of blades have been substituted therefor. This gives the anchor considerably more area for engagement with the earth to prevent the bottom of the line pole from moving.

The rivets I39 and Gil are located toward one side of each of the anchor blades for the purpose of permitting the blades to expand further and to contract into a more compact shape. Thus when the pole key anchor is contracted, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, thiscontracting action can go far enough so that blade H hits the rivet head 39 carried by the blade 12.

Another way of determining how far theanchor will collapse is to note that the folding movement can continue until the blade 12 hits the rivet shank of rivet 413.

The mode of use of the anchor is as follows. The guy rod 28 is screwed into the flange S l and base 35; and the guy rod extends upward between the sides of the guides 38 and 25 and through the hole 35 of guide 24. This definitely determines the position of the rivets 22 and 23 with respect to the guy rod, these rivets having their axes in the same plane which passes .through the axis of the guy rod.

The anchor having been collapsed to the position of Fig. 4, the hole about the line pole 4! is made big enough to accommodate the pole key anchor toward one side: and the anchor is placed in the hole against the pole, in the position of Fig. 4.

A tamping bar is then used on the flange 30 of the upper guide 2%; and this causes the blades to move downward and outward. As the rivets 22 and 23 approach, the blades are projected outward into the undisturbed earth surrounding the hole until they are fully expanded, as shown in Fig. l.

"The pole key gives the pole an additional bearing surface against the undisturbed earth at the bottom of the pole; and the pole may be provided with a suitable beam 42 engagingthe earth near the top of the ground.

All of the parts of the present anchor are preferably constructed out of relatively thin sheet metal, such as steel, excepting, of course, the rivets, whichmay also be of steel.

Since the blades are substantially rectangular, the only waste encountered is that in drilling the holes and making one end circular. Due to the stacking of the blades, thinner steel stock can be used than in the anchors of the prior art having only two blades.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departingfrom the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A pole :key anchor comprising a plate assembly having a pair of upper anchor blades and a pair of adjacent lower anchor blades, said blades being of similar substantially rectangular elongated plane sheet material, a base plate having a bottom flange and a vertical flange, an upper guide member having a vertical flange and an apertured horizontal flange, said upper blades being pivoted together adjacent their inner ends about a common pivot supported on'said vertical flange of said guide member, said lower blades being pivoted together adjacent their inner ends about a common pivot supported on said vertical flange of said base plate, each of said upper blades being pivoted to one of said lower blades intermediate their ends thus providing working portions of said blades extending beyond said last mentioned pivotal connections, a rod for placing the plate assembly into a hole, said rod having a'removable connection with said-base plate :and extending through said apertured fiangeand a U-shaped yoke on said guide memberembracing'saidrod, said rod maintaining "said base plate andgui'de member in vertical alignment when :said blade assembly is actuated to :move said blades about their inner. pivotal connections to expand the working portions :of the same into earth formation.

JAMES K. HARPER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,167,852 .Sprague Jan. .11, 1916 1,724,341 Cole Aug. '13, 1929 2,279,918 Fee et a1 Apr. '14, 1942 

